There are many systems available for mounting photovoltaic (PV) panels to building structures, such as a roof. Such systems serve as a rigid interconnection element between a roof and a PV panel.
While such systems function sufficiently after installation, difficulty during installation can negatively affect worker safety and cause installation delays. Typically, such systems are designed to be adjustable to allow some flexibility between the distance between the mounting point on the roof and the mounting point of the PV panel. Accordingly, one or more bolts are typically used to lock adjustable features to place the system into a rigid state.
The cost of this adjustment capability is greater installation time and additional training needed for the installer. A lengthy time of installation is detrimental to worker safety, because often, installation takes place on elevated and/or pitched roofs; hence, the less time spent on the roof the better. In addition, the installer is required to carry additional tools to install and adjust such systems. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a PV panel mounting system that helps mitigate such installation issues.